The River of Doubt by Candice Millard

When looking for the next victim from my list of unread books, I decided to look for something that had been there awhile.  The River of Doubt by Candice Millard was published in 2005.  I figured 6 years was plenty long enough and it deserved my attention. 

Being that the book is a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, I had serious doubts I could make it all the way through.  I was wrong.  The River of Doubt is a captivating view into a trip the former President and his son took down an uncharted river through the center of the Amazon jungle in 1913.  Adventurers at heart, even the Roosevelts had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

Starting with the bungled preparations that overloaded the party with unnecessary luggage, through underwear eating termites, to lost canoes and starvation, the story mesmerized me.  The author's research was first rate.  Her descriptions of the jungle and all its inhabitants, plant and animal, made me feel as if I was there scratching my bug bites.  I learned so much about a piece of history I'd never heard of before. 

I know I have eclectic reading habits and The River of Doubt fits right in.  I can still see myself selecting it from the shelf at Costco.  I have no idea what would have drawn me to it, but whatever it was I'm truly grateful.  I loved it and I learned so much!  The River of Doubt gets 5 out 5.